A cozy deep-dish apple pie with cinnamon-spiced apples, flaky crust, & simple ingredients. With tips for apple varieties and baking success.

Homemade Deep-Dish Apple Pie

Apple pie is undeniably an all-time favorite dessert. It is sweet and comforting and always popular. It brings with it the kind of warmth and familiarity that reminds us of home. And the aroma of baked apples and cinnamon makes it even more special.

Grateful Prayer Thankful Heart is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. We will only recommend products we use, love or think are informative and helpful.

Jump to Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Simple ingredients, timeless flavor

This pie uses everyday pantry items with just a few thoughtful touches that enhance flavor and texture.

Deep-dish for extra apple filling

Baking in a deep-dish pie plate means more fruit, more layers, and more deliciousness in every bite.

Best Apples for Baking

For the best texture and flavor, choose firm apples that hold their shape. A mix of sweet and tart is ideal.

Braeburn – Citrus notes with good structure
Golden Delicious or Mutsu – Buttery and mellow, holds shape
Pink Lady – Crisp and balanced
Jonathan or Jonagold – Bright flavor, bakes well
Northern Spy – Rich heirloom taste
Granny Smith – Tart, but may soften quickly depending on the source

Try a blend like: Granny Smith + Braeburn + Golden Delicious for flavor and structure.

How to Make Deep-Dish Apple Pie

Butter a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.

Place the bottom crust into pie plate; sprinkle 2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs over the bottom crust. (A light sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs over the bottom crust helps absorb some of the juices from the apples as the pie bakes. It’s a simple trick that helps prevent a soggy bottom and adds a subtle layer of flavor.)

Peel and core 4 pounds apples.

Slice the apples 1/4-1/2-inch thick.

In a large bowl, add the apples, 2/3 cup granulated and 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon juice, 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.

Toss so apples are evenly covered.

Pour the apple filling into the pie plate and gently mound it. There will be a lot, but it bakes down.

Dot the apples with 2 tablespoons of cubed, cold butter.

Place the top crust over the filling and fold the top crust edges under the bottom crust; crimp the edges, or trim and press together with a fork for a simple finish.

Cut a few slits in the top crust for steam. Or, if you like, cut a small vent circle in the center using a piping tip.

Brush the top crust with milk or cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar (I used cinnamon sugar).

Just before placing the pie in the oven I went ahead and hit the edge with a fork because I was concerned about overflow even though I have a great drip guard to prevent messes in the oven.

Baking:

Bake the pie at 425°F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F and bake for 50–60 minutes more, until golden and bubbly.

If the crust begins to brown too quickly, especially after the initial high-temperature bake, loosely tent the pie with foil to prevent over-browning.

After removing from the oven, place on a wire rack to cool and allow the filling to set up.

Deep-Dish Apple Pie

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Filling

4 pounds apples
⅔ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca or tapioca starch
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes

For the Crust

1 double pie crust homemade or store-bought, enough for top and bottom
Milk or heavy cream for brushing
Coarse sugar or turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

Prepare the Crust:

Butter a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate (glass or ceramic is ideal).
Place bottom crust into pie plate.
Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the bottom crust.

Make the Filling:

Peel, core, and slice the apples into ¼-1/2 inch slices or small chunks, whatever your preference.
In a large bowl, toss the apples with granulated and brown sugar, lemon zest and juice, tapioca, cinnamon, nutmeg, and kosher salt.

Assemble the Pie:

Preheat the oven to 425°F
Place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any drips or use a pie pan drip guard.
Pour the apple filling into the pie plate and gently mound it. There will be a lot, but it bakes down.
Dot the apples with cubes of cold butter.
Place the top crust over the filling.
Fold the top crust under the bottom crust and crimp the edges, or trim and press together with a fork for a simple finish.
Cut a few slits in the top crust for steam. Or, if you like, cut a small vent circle in the center using a piping tip.
Brush the top crust with milk or cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake:

Bake the pie at 425°F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F and bake for 50–60 minutes more, until golden and bubbly.
If the crust begins to brown too quickly, especially after the initial high-temperature bake, loosely tent the pie with foil to prevent over-browning.

Cool:

Remove the pie from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack until it’s just warm or room temperature. This gives the filling time to set up.

Notes

Tips for Success

Don’t skip the graham cracker crumbs: they’re a small touch that makes a big difference.

Use a mix of apples for the best flavor and texture.

Let the pie cool fully before slicing for neat servings.

Great for removing the center apple core, honeydew, cantaloupe and watermelon! Use to make melon balls. Easily scoop melon into bite-size morsels for fruit salads, garnish, drinks and desserts.

👉 View on Amazon (affiliate link)

Deep Pie Pan for Baking, 9 Inch Round Baking Dish Non-Stick with Ruffled Edge, Ceramic Pie Plate

Deep for Generous Fillings: this deep pie dish is perfect for generous fillings, keeping everything neatly contained. Ideal as a pie baking pan, quiche baking dish, or baking plate,